Third-Rounder In Dante Fowler Is Conditional
- The 2019 third-round pick sent to the Jaguars in the Dante Fowler trade is conditional, tweets Howard Balzer. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the conditional draft pick will be based on how many compensatory picks the Rams receive. If Los Angeles does receive a compensatory pick, that will be sent to Jacksonville. If the Rams receive more than one compensatory pick, the Jaguars will receive the higher selection. If the Rams don’t get any compensatory picks, then they’ll simply send their own pick to complete the trade. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets that Los Angeles is expecting compensatory picks for the offseason losses of Trumaine Johnson and Sammy Watkins. Jacksonville also received a 2020 fifth-rounder in the Fowler deal.
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NFL Workout Updates: 10/30/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit. All links to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account, unless otherwise specified.
Arizona Cardinals
- OT Cornelius Lucas, OT Derek Newton, DT Will Sutton, DT Vincent Valentine
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Ejuan Price
Chicago Bears
- C Luke Bowanko, OG Adam Gettis, LB Lorenzo Mauldin, LB Aaron Wallace
Cleveland Browns
- OG David Bright
- DE Alex Barrett, LB Jonathan Freeny, CB Jalen Myrick, LB Kelvin Sheppard
Green Bay Packers
- T Andrew Nelson, LB Anthony Winbush
Jacksonville Jaguars
- TE Troy Niklas
Miami Dolphins
- DT Joey Mbu, DE Kendall Reyes, DT Sylvester Williams
New Orleans Saints
- DE Robert Ayers, DE Tank Carradine, DE Will Clarke, CB Jeremiah McKinnon, S Obi Melifonwu, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, CB Marcus Williams
Jaguars Trade DE Dante Fowler To Rams
The rich get richer. On Tuesday, the Jaguars agreed to trade defensive end Dante Fowler to the Rams, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In exchange, the Rams will send a 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Jaguars, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
After investing heavily in their defensive line this offseason, the Rams certainly didn’t have to make this move. However, the aggressive front office in L.A. was unwilling to sit idly by and watch a former Top 5 draft pick go elsewhere.
The Jaguars fielded several calls on Fowler leading up to the deadline and the Rams apparently came to the table with the best offer of the bunch.
Fowler will offer edge rush support for a front seven that already features the likes of Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Michael Brockers, and Ethan Westbrooks. In limited playing time this year, Fowler notched two sacks and has played better than ever before, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus.
Fowler is in the final year of his rookie contract and the Rams have little breathing room under the cap, so it will be tough for the Rams to keep him beyond the 2018 season. In light of that, the price tag of a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick may seem steep, but it’s important to note that the Rams have plenty of draft ammo thanks to previous trades and compensatory picks.
With a disappointing 3-5 record, the Jaguars clearly recognize that their playoff hopes are dwindling. The Fowler trade does not mean they’re waving the white flag, per se, but it’s a signal that they are keeping an eye on their prospects for 2019.
Jaguars DE Dante Fowler Drawing Interest
The Jaguars’ phones have been ringing with serious interest in defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The asking price is high, but Pelissero says Fowler is a player to watch as a teams look for pass rush help. 
Fowler, the former No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, has immense talent, but also comes with baggage. The pass rusher has a history of off-the-field missteps and was sidelined for the first game of the season for racking up three misdemeanor charges in a 2017 arrest. Fowler was also hit with an unusual preseason suspension this year for “fighting and violation of team rules.”
On the field, Fowler has been an effective reserve, notching two tackles in seven games. As far as Pro Football Focus is concerned, he’s in the midst of his best season to date. Fowler currently ranks as the league’s No. 34 ranked edge defender, though his sample size of 165 snaps pales in comparison to many others on the list.
Last year, Fowler recorded a career-high eight sacks, but the club declined his fifth-year option for 2019. Still, even as they declined the option, it was reported that the Jaguars had not ruled out a long-term deal with Fowler down the road, so they’re not likely to give him away for cheap today. It’s also worth noting that the Jaguars could get a compensatory pick for Fowler if he leaves in free agency.
The Jets, who are in desperate need of pass rush help, inquired on Fowler over the summer.
Jags Notes: Bortles, Cousins, Fournette
- Blake Bortles played decently for the Jaguars during their loss in London today, but we heard earlier this week that the fifth-year pro is on a short leash after he was benched during last Sunday’s loss to the Texans. However, Albert Breer of TheMMQB observes that Bortles still took the lion’s share of first-team reps in practice this week (though Cody Kessler did get a few, as anticipated), so it does not appear that there is a quarterback competition at the moment.
- La Canfora writes that the Jaguars were very much interested in Kirk Cousins last offseason and were prepared to offer him a significant free agent contract and move on from Bortles. However, they were not willing to meet the $30MM-per-year figure that Cousins ultimately got from the Vikings (they hoped to land him for something in the $20-24MM range). Instead, of course, they gave Bortles a pay-as-you-go, team-friendly extension, which allows the club the flexibility to move on this offseason if it so chooses.
- Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette is expected to return to the field for Jacksonville’s Week 10 matchup on November 11 against the Colts, per Schefter.
Four Jaguars Players Detained In London
Sunday, 9:42am: It appears that this situation will blow over. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Church was not actually arrested — Hayden, Wilson, and Harrison apparently were — but none of the four players were charged. London Police say the matter is “resolved.”
Rapoport says that the four men skipped out on a $64K bar tab, but that may have been due to a misunderstanding (video link). Apparently, expensive bottles of alcohol were being sent to their table, but they believed someone else was paying for them. They were therefore surprised when they were expected to pay.
In any event, it seems this incident will not have any impact on the team or the players moving forward.
Saturday, 9:15pm: The players arrested were Barry Church, D.J. Hayden, Jarrod Wilson, and Ronnie Harrison, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). All four players are defensive backs, which could explain why the team was so reluctant to name them in their statement.
Jacksonville is already shorthanded in the secondary and can’t afford to be without both Church and Harrison, so they will almost certainly still play. Church, a safety, plays nearly every down while Harrison, also a safety, has seen his snaps increase in recent weeks. Hayden was already unlikely to play with an injury, and Wilson is a lightly-used special-teamer.
Saturday, 9:05pm: Online reports from British tabloids began circulating that four Jaguars players had been arrested ahead of Jacksonville’s game in London, and now the team is confirming those reports, according to James Palmer of NFL Network (Twitter link).
The Jaguars released a very brief statement acknowledging what happened, which reads as follows: “We are aware that four of our players were detained over restitution of a bill. The matter is being resolved and the players are with the team. Any discipline will be handled internally.”
The statement is very light on details, and it hasn’t been reported yet which four players were detained. The original report from the British paper said the players were confronted by security at a nightclub and accused of trying to avoid paying their tab. While the team is clearly being intentionally vague, we should know more details soon. At this point, it’s unclear if the players will still play in the game against the Eagles tomorrow.
No matter what happens, it’s an awful look for a club that’s been in disarray for weeks now, with the news breaking 12 hours before they’re set to kick off. The locker room has reportedly turned toxic, with multiple shouting matches breaking out after their most recent loss. Blake Bortles was benched and is now on a very short leash, and this is the last thing the team needs.
The NFL has made expanding the game into the London market a major focal point in recent years, and the league office will likely be outraged at the optics. While the Jaguars have said any discipline will be internal, commissioner Roger Goodell may disagree.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/24/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Arizona Cardinals
- TE Ethan Wolf; K Zane Gonzalez
Cincinnati Bengals
- TE Marcus Lucas
Cleveland Browns
- WR Deontez Alexander, Marcus Tucker; CB Linden Stephens; LB Corey Nelson
Detroit Lions
- RBs Gerald Holmes, Jalen Simmons; DE Anthony Lanier; DT Josh Banks
Houston Texans
- TE Khari Lee
Indianapolis Colts
- WRs C.J. Board, Montay Crockett, Chad Hansen; DT Zaycoven Henderson; S A.J. Howard
Jacksonville Jaguars
- LBs Richie Brown, Colton Jumper, Mike Needham, Aaron Wallace; CB Breon Borders; S Jack Tocho
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
- T Andrew Lauderdale
Oakland Raiders
- OTs Darius James, Jamar McGloster, De’Ondre Wesley; Gs Maurquice Shakir, Isaiah Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- G J.J. Dielman; S Justin Currie
Tennessee Titans
- RB Ralph Webb; TE Khari Lee; DT Vincent Valentine; LBs Vontarrius Dora, Gimel President
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/18
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: G Jermaine Eluemunor
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
- Waived: LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
- Waived from injured reserve: LB James Burgess
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Dee Delaney
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Donald Payne
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Chandon Sullivan
Jamaal Charles Likely Done With Football
Former Chiefs great Jamaal Charles says he has “probably” played his final down of football. In a post on Instagram, Charles hinted strongly at retirement. 
“I’m so thankful and grateful,” Charles wrote. “Thanks Jaguars for opportunity. It probably was my last chance putting on a jersey again.”
Charles was once one of the NFL’s most electrifying running backs. When he was young, healthy, and a member of the Chiefs, he had some brilliant seasons in Kansas City, including a 2010 campaign in which he ran for 1,467 yards and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. Unfortunately, time is not kind to running backs, and he has not topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season due to aging and injuries.
This year, Charles hooked on with the Jaguars to help fill in for the injured Leonard Fournette. However, after the acquisition of Carlos Hyde, he was no longer needed. He’s technically a free agent, but it doesn’t sound like Charles will be seeking work.
Donald Payne Out Three To Four Weeks
- Jaguars linebacker Donald Payne suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Texans, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The 24-year-old is set to miss the next three to four weeks, although the team’s upcoming bye week could reduce the number of games missed. In seven games this season, the second-year pro has compiled a single tackle. During Payne’s absence, Blair Brown or Lerentee McCray could see some snaps behind starting middle linebacker Myles Jack.
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